Volume 108  ·   Issue 04  ·  1995

Lymphatic filariasis (brancroftian filariasis and malayan filariasis) is one of the major parasitic diseases in China. It is distributed in 15 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in the mainland, i.e. Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Shanghai, Jiangxi, Fujian, Henan, Human, Hubei, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Sichuan and Guizhou, covering 864 counties/cities. Based on an epidemiological survey, it is estimated that before the control program there were 30994000 filariasis cases, of whom 25594000 were microfilaremia cases and 5400000 were patients with clinical manifestations such as lymphadenitis, lymphangitis, elephantiasis, hydrocele, chyluria.

In the past 40 years in China, trauma was the fifth cause of death in the urban districts and the fourth in the countryside. Traffic accidents alone kill more than 50 000 people annually in China. In 1993, 63 508 Chinese died for traffic accidents. Therefore, importance has been attached to the trauma research in China in recent years.

Since the birth of the world's first test tube baby in England on July 25, 1979, the technology of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) has been employed and developed worldwide in the treatment of infertility caused mainly by tubal blockage.

China has an endemic history of leprosy for more than two thousand years. Before liberation of China in 1949, leprosy had been endemic mainly in the provinces along the coastal areas and the Yangtse River, with the highest prevalence in Guangdong, Jiangsu and Shandong provinces.

After intraperitoneal (IP) injection of δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), the endogenous porphyrins in murine skin and tumor tissues were determined by a method involving solvent and acid extractions. The results showed that the total amount of porphyrins in the tumor tissues after ALA injection was much higher than that in the skin from the same mice, although the amount of porphyrins in the skin from the ALA-injected mice was higher than that from the saline-injected (control) mice. The porphyrins in the tumor were mostly protoporphyrin and coproporphyrin, with only a small amount of uroporphyrin. The optimum period for porphyrin accumulation in the tumor as well as in the skin was 1 hour after the injection of ALA. As the period was extended to 3 and 6 hours, the amount of porphyrins in these tissues decreased considerably. These findings could be valuable for further application of ALA in the photodynamic therapy of skin cancer.

The authors studied the changes of gastric acid secretion and determined the levels of somatostatin (SS) and gastrin (Gn) in blood, gastric juice and pyloric antrum in 28 patients Roux-en-Y with cholangiojejunostomy (CJR-Y). Gastric acid hypersecretion was identified, and the level of SS was found dropped while the content of Gn increased in these specimens. It was considered that the reduction of SS synthesis and secretion might have a key effect on the mechanism of secondary gastric acid hypersecretion in patients after CJR-Y.

The inhibitory effects of γ-interferon (γ-IFN), pinyanmycin (PYM), and psoralen (PSO) on human tongue cancer HSC3 cells were tested with MTT assay (tetrazolium-based colorimetric assay). The IC50 (drug concentration which causes 50% inhibition of the cell line) values of γ-IFN, PYM and PSO were 371,535 U/ml, 224 ng/ml and 25,119 ng/ml, respectively. The CI50 (combination index) values of the combinations of PYM with γ-IFN at the concentrations of 102, 103, 104 and 105 U/ml were 0.12, 0.04, 0.05, and 0.29, respectively; and those of PSO with γ-IFN at the concentrations of 102, 103, 104 and 105 U/ml were 1.00, 0.66, 0.30 and 0.28, respectively. The growth inhibition (%) of the HSC3 cells transplanted tumor in nude mice by γ-IFN, PYM, γ-IFN plus PYM, PSO, and γ-IFN plus PSO were 67.6, 103.5, 110.0, 83.1 and 102.9, respectively; the body weight loss (%) of the treated mice were 1.2, 6.9, 0.8, 5.0 and 1.8 respectively, and that of the control was 12.5. The results indicated that the combination effects of γ-IFN with PYM or γ-IFN with PSO are synergic and beneficial to the general health of the victim mice.

To stop excessive plasma loss, alleviate noxious effects of devitalized tissues on the body and shorten the hospitalization time, we performed extensive escharectomy during the shock period in extensively burned patients. Group A consisted of 21 patients aged 9-45 years (26.1±7.9 years), with a mean total burn area of 63.2%±18.1% TBSA, and full-thickness injury involving 35.9%±19.6% TBSA. The first escharectomy was done at 24.1±13.9 hours postburn, and excision area averaged 32.3%±6.7% TBSA (24%-46%). In 15 of them, Swan-Ganz catheter was introduced to monitor the hemodynamic changes. It was found that RAP, PAP, PAWP, ABP, HR, CO and CI were all stable during and after the operation. Group B consisted of 29 patients aged 11-50 years (30.4±11.7 years), in whom escharectomy was begun 4-5 days postburn. The mean healing time of the patients in group A was 33.1 days, shorter than that of group B patients (40.1 days). The duration of hemoconcentration was shorter in group A. The amount of blood transfusion was almost 700 ml less in group A during the first two weeks. Less antibiotics were used with fewer visceral complications in group A. We believe that escharectomy during the burn shock stage is feasible.

Using the RAPD method, we identified and classified Neisseria gonorrhoeae on the basis of the DNA level. Except OPG20 the other 19 primers of OPG arbitrary primer kit showed informative arrays of amplified prominent segments. Most of the segments were common to all three Neisseria gonorrhoeae groups; some segments were amplified from two groups or only one group so that the fingerprint maps of different Neisseria gonorrhoeae groups were distinctive. Based on these findings, i.e. on the genomic level, we can classify the three Neisseria gonorrhoeae groups. Using OPG10 and OPG11 to amplify the five Neisseria species, we found marked diversity among them, which made it easy for us to identify Neisseria gonorrhoeae from four other Neisseria species. The use of the RAPD method needs some special reaction conditions, e.g. annealing temperature that should not be too low or too high and should be consistently stable. The quality of Taq polymerase is also very important. The reproducibility of the results under these conditions was very good.

Cytosolic free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) was measured in dissociated cerebral cells isolated from fetal rats with the fluorescent indicater fura-2. Increase in [Ca2+]i occurred rapidly following exposure of the cells to 50 mmol/L KCl, 10(-7) mol/L Bay K 8644 or 200 μmol/L glutamate (Glu). [Ca2+]i elevated by K+-depolarization was attenuated by pretreatment with 10-7, 10-6 mol/L daurisoline (Dau). The response of [Ca2+]i to K+-depolarization did not change when 10-8 mol/L Dau was added. When 10-8-10-6 mol/L Dau was added to the cell suspensions prior to exposure to Glu, the Glu-stimulated rises in [Ca2+]i were reduced significantly. However, Dau (10-6, 10-7 and 10-8 mol/L) did not alter the response to Bay K 8644. These results indicate that Dau can inhibit the increase of [Ca2+]i in fetal rat cerebral cells induced by certain Ca2+ agonists, especially Glu, suggesting that this drug may have a protective effect against cerebral cellular injury.

Fecal culture of Campylobacter jejuni was prepared by the method of Skirrow, and serum class specific antibodies (IgG, IgM and IgA) to Campylobacter jejuni and serum class specific antibodies (IgG IgM) to GM1 were prepared with solid phase enzyme linked immunasorbent assay in 16 cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), 32 controls with other neurological diseases (disease controls) and 90 normal controls. The results showed that the incidence of Campylobacter jejuni infection, especially recent infections, in the group with Guillain-Barre syndrome was much higher than that in the two control groups, and that the positive rate of GM1 antibody was also much higher in the GBS group than in the two control groups. The results suggest that Campylobacter jejuni infection may be one of the important precipitating factors of Guillain-Barre syndrome and play an important role in the epidemiological pattern of Guillain-Barre syndrome in China. It damages the myelin of peripheral nerves through induction of GM1 antibody production.

Neurohypophysial arginine vasopressin (AVP) concentrations were determined by RIA in 9 patients with cerebral infarction, 11 patients with intracerebral hemorrhage, 5 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage and 5 control subjects. The results showed that neurohypophysial AVP concentration in patients with cerebral infarction increased by 225.8% as compared with the control subjects (P<0.05), and the AVP concentrations in patients with intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhage did not change significantly. Brain herniation as a result of intracranial hypertension, gastrointestinal bleeding and hyperglycemia (two clinical manifestations of stress) was seen more frequently in hemorrhagic stroke patients than in ischemic stroke patients. These findings suggest that the ischemic brain damage may contribute to the elevation of neurohypophysial AVP concentration in patients with cerebral infarction.

Atriopeptin Ⅲ (AP Ⅲ) and its six analogues were synthesized by solid phase method and their diuretic and hypotensive activities were determined. Among these analogues, analogue [D-Ala-5, D-Arg-23] AP Ⅲ was nearly 10 times as potent as AP Ⅲ in diuretic activity while its hypotensive activity increased only 50% of that of AP Ⅲ. Analogue des [Ser-15Gly-16Leu-17Gly-18Asn-20Ser-21] AP Ⅲ was 15% as potent as AP Ⅲ in diuretic activity, but it still maintained about 60% of the hypotensive activity of AP Ⅲ. Meanwhile, we tried analogue [D-Ala-5, D-Agr-23] AP Ⅲ for the treatment of hypertensive syndrome in pregnancy and obtained some good results.

This paper presents a general review of the studies on the epidemiology of H. pylori infection in China. Among 3,519 dyspeptic individuals presenting for endoscopy, H. pylori detectable rate was 61.2%. A higher prevalence of infection was found in patients with peptic ulcer. The prevalence of gastric metaplasia was 82.5% in patients with duodenal ulcer, 53.1% in duodenitis and 34.5% in normal duodenal mucosa. H. pylori infection is significantly more common in gastric cancer patients (58.9%) than in the matched controls (42.5%). Endoscopic studies performed on asymptomatic volunteers aged 10-25 showed that the prevalence of gastritis and H. pylori was 45%-84% and 42%-67% respectively. Large scale prospective studies of the possible role of H. pylori in gastric cancer in populations with various gastric cancer mortality rates using ELISA assays showed a significant geographical association between gastric cancer mortality and the prevalence of H. pylori infection. H. pylori infection is acquired at an earlier age and has a higher prevalence in the high gastric cancer risk areas than in the low risk areas. H. pylori was detected in human saliva and dental plaque by PCR. H. pylori-like organisms were successfully isolated by culture and detected by nested PCR in the gastric mucosa of pigs and cats. Intrafamilial clustering of H. pylori infection was observed.

This paper reports the results of serological survey of 318,912 persons for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in 21 cities and counties of south China. There were 8,441 persons with positive VCA-IgA antibody (single item positive) of EB virus (EBV), with a rate of 2.65%. In these VCA-IgA positive persons, 287 persons also had positive EA-IgA (double items positive) of EBV. The overall positive rate was 0.09%. 100 cases of NPC were found and 87 of them (87.0%) were in early stage. NPC found in the group with single item positive accounts for 1.19%, but the rate in the group with double items positive was 19.16% (55 cases). In NPC patients with double items positive, 49 cases were in early stage (89.1%). In 100 cases of NPC found, 45 cases appeared with negative EA-IgA, only with positive VCA-IgA, which indicated that for diagnosis of NPC, sensitivity of EA-IgA was lower than that of VCA-IgA, but its specificity was higher. Therefore, both can increase the detecting rate and early diagnosis rate of NPC. The age of people checked varied with different antibody positive rate and NPC detecting rate. The three items showed a positive correlation. The results are compatible with those of the prospective study for NPC in Wuzhou City, Guangxi, China. The method for NPC serological diagnosis can be extended and applied to raise the NPC detecting rate and early diagnosis rate at secondary prevention. And, it is further proved that there is a close relationship between NPC and EBV.

Altogether 27,716 cystic hydatid cases and 445 alveolar hydatid cases clinically diagnosed and surgically treated in China were retrospectively studied. In accordance with the parasitic sites of the hydatid cysts and the various pathological types, different surgical procedures were adopted. In an attempt to prevent intraoperative accidents and postoperative complications, continued improvements in operational techniques have been made. Different surgical procedures were evaluated for their advantages and disadvantages as well as their indications. According to the pathological changes of the residual cavities of ectocysts, different measures were adopted. In screening operations, injection of antihydatid drug into hydatid cysts followed by oral administration of this drug was used to prevent relapses. The therapeutic effect of all these measures has been proved satisfactory by follow-up studies. This indicates that the progress in surgical treatment of cystic hydatid disease during the recent 10 years has been attaining to the objectives of shortening the duration of treatment, decreasing the postoperative recurrence rate and increasing the cure rate. In some hospitals, no operative death and relapse of cyst growth have been reported in nearly 1,000 surgical cases of cystic hydatid disease. Only 10.8% of the 445 alveolar hydatid cases underwent radical operations and the prognoses were unfavourable. This was due to the absence of symptoms in early stages of the disease which often made the patients miss the chance for radical operation in hospitals.